Introduction to Parkinson's Science

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This is Section 2 of The Science Behind Parkinson's Disease - a Wikiversity learning project:

A structured learning section where the science behind Parkinson's is explained for those who are new to the subject.

Aim: To help people get to grips with the basic biology that is relevant for understanding the pathology of Parkinson's and for following the research being done in this field.

Section structure:

First, questions that arise when a person is first diagnosed with Parkinson's.

Then, on subsequent pages, questions that naturally follow on as more is learned about the condition.

Also, pointers throughout to background material to deepen necessary knowledge of biological topics.

An invitation is extended to help design and develop this section.

See the Discussion page for the development of this section.

Subpages for this network of questions and answers are now being compiled.

Start down the pathway to understand the science behind Parkinson's

Questions and Answers Start with some early questions you may have: What has caused me to have Parkinson's? Does Parkinson's reduce life expectancy? Is Parkinson's contagious? What are the usual early symptoms and what confirms the diagnosis? How will the disease progress?

More questions What causes the motor symptoms? The lack of dopamine and what this brain chemical does Why is there not enough dopamine? Death of cells in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra What treatment can be given? An overview of the drugs and other therapies that can be used to treat Parkinson's How does Parkinson's spread through the nervous system?

Some background information Wikipedia entry on Parkinson's disease Causes of Parkinson's Diagnosing Parkinson's The Parkinson's UK Brain Bank diagnostic criteria Parkinson's life history Assesssment of the stage of Parkinson's Hoehn and Yahr scale Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)

Other related background topics Neurons and Neurotransmitters Cells and Cytology

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Browse all questions and answers in Section 2: An Introduction to Parkinson's Science All Section 2 sub_pages

Adding new topics and editing existing ones Please Login first. (Create an account if you have not got one yet.) Add a question or enhance an answer Click on the Section 2 Site Map link on the left. Look to see if the topic already exists. If so: Click on the Page link and edit the page in the normal way If not: Add a new page as described on the Site Map page Any part of this wikiversity project can be worked on by anyone. If there is something that is missing or needs further elaboration, then just add it! (Please back up all the assertions you make with references to external sources.) Discuss changes Use the Discussion tab at the top of the page if you want to discuss possible changes in advance, make suggestions or ask other people's opinions. Parkinson's Science project User Guide